Nothing Can Stop God from Reaching Us: A Dachau Diary by a Survivor
by Raphael Tijhuis, O.Carm.

Brother Raphael Tijhius, O.Carm., was born on October 10, 1913. He entered the Carmelite Order in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, in 1932 and made his simple profession in 1933. Shortly after profession Brother Raphael moved to the Mainz, Germany, Carmelite Monastery expecting to live the life of a simple brother, which he did for only a few short years.

On July 25, 1940, Brother Raphael was arrested by the Gestapo and thus began a 5-year journey of purification through several jails and prisons at the hands of the Nazis. Nothing Can Stop God from Reaching Us is his diary of life during those 5 years as he tried to live as best he could in an atmosphere of hatred, fear and uncertainty.

Through the terror, which was also known by thousands of innocent people, Brother Raphael experienced many powerful moments of God’s presence within him and through the others he met along his way. It will be interesting to the reader that during this experience Brother Raphael crossed paths with two well known Carmelites in the Dachau prisons – Fr. Titus Brandsma, O.Carm. and Brother Hilary Januszewski, O.Carm., both declared Blessed within the last decade.

The Diary itself is translated and edited in a very easy-to-read manner. Sections of Brother Raphael’s own words are supplemented by interesting commentary which explains more fully the situation and background of each section.

This book will be of great interest to those who study this particular time period with its very Carmelite slant and for those who have a particular curiosity in the two above mentioned blesseds. The pictures and commentary contain a number of new informational pieces that may not have been seen before by the Lay Carmelite.

Nothing Can Stop God from Reaching Us: A Dachau Diary by a Survivor, can be purchased directly through Carmelite Media, phone:  520.325.1537x117,email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , mailing address:  1540 East Glenn, Tucson, AZ,  85719.

C.A. Perazzo
December 2010